From the Forest: A Search for the Hidden Roots of our Fairytales

Fairy tales are one of our earliest cultural forms, & forests one of our most ancient landscapes. Both evoke similar sensations: At times they are beautiful & magical, at others spooky & sometimes horrifying. Maitland argues that the terrain of these fairy tales are intimately connected to the mysterious secrets & silences, gifts & perils. 

With each chapter focusing on a different story & a different forest visit, Maitland offers a complex history of forests & how they shape the themes of fairy tales we know best. She offers a unique analysis of famous stories including Rapunzel, Hansel & Gretal, Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, Rumplestiltskin, & Sleeping Beauty. Maitland uses fairy tales to explore how nature itself informs our imagination, & she guides the reader on a series of walks through northern Europe’s best forests to explore both the ecological history of forests & the roots of fairy tales. In addition to the twelve modern re-tellings of these traditional fairy tales, she includes beautiful landscape photographs taken by her son as he joined her on these long walks.

Beautifully written & impeccably researched, Maitland has infused new life into tales we’ve always thought we’ve known.